Dominic staggered back, a single tear carving a silent path down his cheek as his memories of her filled the room. His voice broke through the suffocating silence. King Caisson's eyes flickered with sorrow and regret before he replied, his tone measured yet pained.
"I had no choice,"
The King's voice was low, but Dominic's rage surged, his voice trembling with both fury and grief.
"Choices? How many choices did I have? If you had truly loved her, if you had seen her as the gentle flower that bloomed so brightly even in the dark of our palace, she wouldn't have withered away! How could you let her suffer in silence?"
The king's face tightened, and for a heartbeat, his guard dropped as his inner torment seeped into his words.
"I— I did what I believed was necessary. The queen—"
Dominic cut him off, his eyes glistening with unshed tears as he spat out each word.
